Ag Monday profile: Food for thought

Born and raised in Petaluma, Lynn Figone set her sights on being an ag teacher but after she went to work for Barn Tours, a national organization that educated people about raising beef, she made a slight alteration in career choice.

After having her first child, Figone switched over to the Lake County Farm Bureau and a position that didn't involve as much travel. In this job she learned a great deal about land use and this information served her well later on in her career when she was part of the Marin Agricultural Land Trust.

Figone was in Salinas late last year for a meeting when she met Lindsay Coate, executive director of Ag Against Hunger, and learned about the organization's programs.

At the time, Figone thought to herself that this was a community group she would love to work for. Early this year she learned that Coate would be leaving for a new position in the Sacramento area, so Ag Against Hunger was launching a search for a new executive director.

Figone applied for it and got the job. To ease the transition she was named deputy director and will work with Coate until she leaves later in the year.

Looking ahead to when she becomes Ag Against Hunger's executive director, Figone said she wants to learn as much as she can about the area's ag operations. "It is helpful to know all the facets of agriculture and to understand the trends and all the things that can affect the sector," she said.

Another aspect of Figone's commitment to agriculture is her involvement in the California Women for Agriculture. She joined the group while working for the Lake County Farm Bureau.

Started by a group of women in the 1970s, the CWA was founded in the Coachella Valley. The mission of the organization is to promote and develop the interest of California women in agriculture and to promote a strong ag industry in California.

With about 20 chapters divided into five districts across the state, the CWA seeks to improve the public image of farmers and develop rapport with consumers, educators, and governmental and business leaders.

The membership is kept informed of legislative activities that pertain to the ag sector and they will join forces when the need arises to deal with ag issues and challenges.

"Many of our members come from agricultural backgrounds but others don't but are just concerned about maintaining a healthy, afforadable and reliable food supply," Figone said.

Education is a strong component of the CWA's approach and this dovetailed nicely with Figone's longstanding interest in ag in the classroom and her belief that it is important to inform the public about what the industry is all about.

Since joining the CWA, Figone has been involved in the organization's leadership in various capacities. She became the group's president this year and will serve a two-year term.

"I think I am the last person to have literally moved up the ranks from the district level and have held every position in the organization," she said with a laugh.

Figone said her position as CWA president won't interfere with her responsibilities with Ag Against Hunger. Since her executive team is spread throughout the state, they communicate via the Internet.

"We also have monthly phone conferences and the entire membership meets together every other month," she said. Each meeting is held in a different part of the state.

Each chapter also adopts state legislators who do not represent an agricultural area and then chapter members meet with them to discuss the importance of agriculture.

"We want to be one of their 'go to' groups if they have any questions about agriculture or if they need information," Figone explained.

She also emphasized that since the CWA represents a cross-section of women in and out of the ag sector, legislators not only take them seriously but they also listen to them and seek their input.

"We are a different voice from the more traditional interest group that might represent just a narrow niche of the ag sector," Figone said. "Right now we are very interested in water issues and how they affect our food production."

Whether she is involved in Ag Against Hunger or CWA activities, Figone believes education is an important part of what she does to raise public awareness of why agriculture is such an integral part of California's economy and why the excess food produced in Central Coast fields should also be used to assist less fortunate individuals who are in need.

Lynn Figone

• AGE: 43

• OCCUPATION: State President of California Women in Agriculture and Deputy Director of Ag Against Hunger.